Best Virtual Conference Platforms

Virtual conference organizers can choose from more platforms for planning and hosting virtual or hybrid events. Discover the best overall virtual conference platform, the most popular and user-friendly platforms, and platforms oriented around marketing and networking for hosting webinars, conferences, events, and large meetings.

Best Overall Virtual Conference Platform

vFairs stands out as the best overall platform for prioritizing the experience of events in 3D virtual spaces. This platform features virtual lobbies and exhibit booths and offers a mobile app for check-in, networking, personalized experiences, and gamification at virtual, hybrid, or in-person events.

Conference organizers can customize a branded mobile app for iOS and Android devices that supports contactless digital check-in and self-check-in features and generates attendance analytics. This app also supports communication, engagement, and networking functions for event attendees.

Users give vFairs high ratings, and this platform provides custom quotes so that conference organizers only pay for useful features. While a few of the best virtual conference platforms emphasize 3D experiences, vFairs offers the widest range of features and supports the largest number of attendees for a relatively affordable price.

Most Popular Virtual Conference Platform

Zoom Events is the most popular platform for hosting virtual conferences. The number of users of this platform's video call and meeting features peaked in 2020, but many people are still familiar with Zoom. The Events platform has a maximum capacity of 50,000 people and offers virtual lobbies, an Expo Floor, a dedicated sponsor area, and networking resources.

Zoom provides scalable support for Events, Sessions, and Webinars. The Events plan enables organizers to host multiple virtual or hybrid events, including registration and networking features. The Sessions plan supports interactive single-session webinars and meetings. Zoom Webinars support multiple sessions that are up to 30 hours long with 100 or more interactive video panelists and provide engagement resources, such as chat panels, Q&As, polls, and quizzes, for 500 or more attendees.

Although the functionality of Zoom Events is more limited than some other virtual conference platforms, it is hard to beat the name recognition of this platform. Zoom One, the basis for all these plans, is also compatible with custom virtual office backgrounds.

Most User-Friendly Virtual Conference Platform

Simple setup and automated communications make GoToWebinar an inviting platform for hosting conferences, large meetings, and webinars. Organizers can appreciate the ease of customizing dashboards and registration pages and the availability of event analytics.

GoToWebinar integrates with various other GoTo platforms, including GoTo Connect for calls and messaging, GoToMeeting for smaller video conferences, and the GoToTraining platform. GoToWebinar also works with GoToStage for recording webinars.

In addition to making webinars easier to plan, GoToWebinar is also user-friendly for attendees. Up to 3,000 attendees can watch webcasts in browsers. This platform makes accepting payments easy and has a transparent pricing model.

Best Virtual Conference Platform for Marketing

Eventzilla is the best platform for marketing virtual conferences. Organizers can quickly create virtual event websites and set up registration workflows without any need for coding. An agenda builder streamlines the process of planning and publicizing any event.

This marketing-oriented platform makes it easy to build marketing campaigns around events and convert page visitors to attendees. Organizers can offer discount codes to attendees and send out polls and surveys for feedback.

Eventzilla makes it easy for organizers to schedule multiple guest speakers at a single event and manage various events simultaneously. Virtual conference organizers should know that pricing plans above the Basic level include a flat rate and percentage per registration.

Best Virtual Conference Platform for Networking

A platform that prioritizes community building can be one of the best options for networking before, during, and after virtual conferences. Mighty Networks supports one-time payments and paid memberships, providing attendees with ongoing access to event communities.

Mighty Networks provides direct and group messaging features and supports community posts and comments. Organizers can also record virtual conferences to repurpose as member content and host discussions and Q&A sessions on the same platform. Mighty Networks offers a Community Design framework with live courses to help organizers go from planning events to building membership-based businesses.

One consideration for hosting virtual conferences in Mighty Networks is that many attendees and members may use this platform for the first time. This is not necessarily a drawback, as the networking features will likely impress new users. The best platform for networking at virtual conferences is accessible on the web and on iOS and Android devices.

Office Backgrounds for Virtual Conferences

Custom Virtual Office backgrounds are compatible with Zoom and some of the best platforms for virtual conferences. Pick a platform and customize a free or premium virtual office background to use during keynotes, breakout sessions, or other appearances during a virtual conference.